Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

Because the success of your healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe depends on the quality of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar that you use, choose them wisely.

• Olive oil - Buy the best olive oil you can afford. See the additional information below.
• Balsamic vinegar - Aim for pure balsamic vinegar rather than a diluted one. Again, there is more information below.
• Honey - My preference is for raw honey, local if possible.
• Salt - I use fine sea salt for the trace minerals like magnesium and potassium that it contains.
• Pepper - Freshly ground black pepper gives you the most flavor.

How to Buy Olive Oil

If possible, purchase your oil where sampling is offered. Good olive oil should smell almost grassy, with a very distinct flavor. The higher the polyphenols, the more 'bitter' and peppery it will taste.

Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined. This means that neither chemicals nor heat were used to extract the oil from the olives. It retains more of the nutrients from the fruit. This is the kind you want. Stay away from "light" olive oil. It's been refined, as has any that's simply labeled "Olive Oil."

There've been reports of olive oils that are not pure olive oil, but rather diluted with less expensive oils not noted on the label. Real olive oil will turn solid in the refrigerator. Try to find a trusted brand. I like to shop at the Bodacious Shops when I'm in Pensacola, Florida.

High-quality oil will last up to 15 months as long as it's kept away from heat with a snug cap on it. Choose olive oil that comes in dark bottles and store it in a cupboard, if possible, as light will destroy its flavor. 

How to Choose Balsamic Vinegar

Conveniently, balsamic vinegar is usually sold in the same stores that sell olive oils and allow sampling. For this recipe, I use a basic balsamic vinegar, but it's also fun to experiment with some of the varieties of vinegars offered!

Balsamic vinegar is made from grape juice that has been cooked until it's reduced into a syrup called must, which is then fermented and aged in wooden barrels. For more information on balsamic vinegar, check out this article on The Spruce Eats.

Read your labels carefully. The best balsamic vinegar is labeled 100% barrel-aged balsamic vinegar. Many less-expensive ones will contain wine vinegar or red wine vinegar and caramel. If you can't get pure balsamic vinegar, at least select one that has balsamic vinegar listed first, before wine vinegar, on the ingredients list and doesn't have other added ingredients.